A PRELIMINARY SURVEY OF HISTORIC SITES ON SAN NICOLAS ISLAND Steven J. Schwartz Environmental Division - Code P7320 Naval Air Weapons Station Point Mugu, California 93042-5000 and Kelly A Rossbach Student Conservation Association P.O. Box 550 Charlestown, New Hampshire 03603 ABSTRACT A reconnaissance survey for historic sites on San Nicolas Island reveals that although there are relatively few historic sites, these sites do reveal a complex history of occupation and constitute a significant research field. The main historic context for the island is sheep ranching (ca. 1857-1943), with 3 separate ranch locations. Also present are a number of small fishing camps around the island. These temporary camps were utilized from at least the 1870s by Chinese and American fishermen. Numerous Aleut artifacts have been recovered, though the temporary Aleut occupation of the island (ca. 1815) is not well documented. A number of historic shipwrecks are known for the island, and literature research is well under way. Other sites related to early military occupation and navigational markers are also present. INTRODUCTION torical information on island ranching is generally lacking at this time; however, a San Nicolas Island has long been known basic outline of events is known. It appears for its wealth of prehistoric resources. In­ that the earliest sheep ranching operations vestigations into the prehistoric sites began were based at Corral Harbor (Figure 1). By in the early 1870s and have continued spor­ the mid-1890s the ranch facilities were moved adically to the present. Little attention, to the east end ofthe island at Jehemy Beach. however, has been paid to the historic re­ At some later time the operations were moved sources of the island. A recent reconnais­ to Brook's Landing on the north shore sance survey of the island revealed that where a pier was constructed (ca. 1925). although there are relatively few historic sites, these sites do reveal a long and com­ Charles Meritt of Santa Barbara, report­ plex history of occupation and constitute a ed (Jones 1969:88) that his brother-in-law significant research field, particularly ifa put the first sheep on the island. The origi­ cultural ecology viewpoint is used. nal herd consisted of 500 Mexican ewes and a few rams. By 1875 there were 16,000 head on the island. SHEEP RANCHING Later the number ofsheep on the island The main economic pursuit on the island increased to nearly 40,000, but they soon was sheep ranching. Sheep ranching on the cleaned out the thick covering of herbage island began about 1857, just 4 years after and thousands starved to death. Later, when the last of the Nicolenos was removed. His­ Howland sold out his interest in 1919 to the Proceedings of the Society for California Anhaeology, 1993, Vol. 6, pp. 189-198. Copynght(l!)1993 by the Society for California Archaeology. NO SCALE ~o~ ~~~ ~~'\> ('()~ ~\-~G v- '\>~~ ~<? 00 ., :9% .'t .•1­ .I:;~~ .'~.,": ~ .~!:! ". ~ : .. :~~ \':, ~ . ;';t'? .'...... ··~·t··: !;i:rl~Wi~k, ~. '0 .' ':!~ '~':' / ... .•. "r" . :.. ': .~t ~." ,."il;\'~;" . ,.~~~. ~~ .. "': -:":':f. .n~j '. ,', ."'c "r~' ~'i ~'hl t.!:'!I, •.. Il':.':!',' ". ' '!f!. :i'jh ~.: :1' SAN NICOLAS ISLAND ';;t:~~:~g;~;;.;.: ,...,.,.. '~""'.~ .... '·,'-,1,,· ,.: 1i~.I:" T' t''''''' • '·~.r ~r,:. "l'~'J';".~ j ••.••. i "'" y,~J.cY\ <".i .. , .. f ",;. <' ': i:,,,. ... ,:.:.,'". ,', ,,'<:; ,':,; ,: .. ;c. ;~ ~-'~'~:;y};:;;;;\,', .... ~, ".,,"1'::':._. "/ ~ . PACIFIC OCEAN .. '.'~. !;.' :.:;.. 'I': :;1;, :: ;:.tJ}.£.::::i'.,.;.:, "." Figure 1. General locations of ranching activities. 190 Vail brothers, there were only about 11,000 cistern. sheep on the island and only about 4000 acres of grazing land left (Los Angeles Times 1949). Botanist Blanche Trask (1900:99) visited San Nicolas Island in 1897 and reported: One of the early systems ofsheep man­ agement was to let the sheep roam the is­ At the east end there are a cabin, barn, land until shearing time. Sheep shearers shearing sheds, a cistern, and a platform were transported to the island by boat, and which drains its rainwater into a reser­ the wool was then carried back on the re­ voir. All these improvements are due to turn voyage. Once Basque shepherds im­ the once ambitious ranchmen who seem migrated to California, however, this system now to have abandoned the sheep; about became less common. Pastures were estab­ 500 are occasionally seen. lished by fencing off areas of the island, and the herd was more actively managed. A field party from the Pasadena Acade­ my of Sciences visited the island in May of The reconnaissance survey for sheep 1897. They camped at the east end of the is­ ranching occupation concentrated on the land, near the ranch house, where there was Corral Harbor, Jehemy Beach, and Brook's a cistern for rainwater (Grinnell 1897). "Our Landing areas. The survey was conducted party landed on the east coast where are between 1989 and 1991 by archaeologists shanties and corrals inhabited by sheep-men from the Naval Air Weapons Station and the and horses during shearing time. Troughs Student Conservation Association. on the roofs conduct water into a stone cis­ tern" (Britton 1897:192). The Corral Harbor area reveals only scant evidence ofany historic occupation On the slopes well above the ranch site, (SNI-lO-H), It is quite possible, however, there are remains of a wooden structure that shifting sand dunes have buried further about 8 by 12 feet in size (SNI-H11). The evidence of the ranch at this location. A structure is partially dug into the hillside number ofaccounts discuss a stone or adobe near the top of the slope so that it would house near Corral Harbor which apparently avoid most of the winds. The structural re­ was completely buried by about 1930. Some mains are composed of wooden planks at­ of these accounts state that a structure was tached by wire nails to 2x4 supports. Most present in the canyon next to, and not actu­ of the structure is buried under vegetation. ally at, Corral Harbor. Found in association is a folding table and a Coleman-type stove with a Bakelite knob. Archaeologist Paul Schumacher, visiting No other diagnostic artifacts were seen, San Nicolas Island in 1875 noted, "The shift­ probably due to dense vegetation. This ing sand has almost buried the adobe house, structure appears to be present on 1940 and its old inmate, the superintendent of aerial photographs. the Stock-raising Company" (Schumacher 1875:378). At Brook's Landing there is substantial evidence of occupation. Remnants of the The J ehemy Beach area contains evidence pier are still standing, as well as a substan­ ofa substantial settlement (SNI-323-H), tial road cut making a transition from the though the area is radically dissected by marine terrace down to the pier (SNI-H9), stream erosion, making interpretations dif­ A few small drainages nearby contain large ficult. There appears to have been a road amounts of historic debris, primarily indus­ cut here that leads from the site down to a trial artifacts ofmetal and wood. There are small pocket beach. This beach may have traces offencing just above the pier and been a landing spot due to its proximity to fences leading to the pier area. The habita­ the ranch site and the fact that the offshore tion area was further back from the shore area has been known traditionally as a safe near the base ofthe hill slope (SNI-257). A landing spot in fair weather. The area is small dam was built in this area. A number strewn with artifacts. A depression at the offoundation elements and artifacts are lo­ site may represent a brick- or stone-lined cated in this area. A wooden underground 191 root cellar is also present in this area. Re­ SHEEP FENCING mains of corrugated roofmg were found some distance away, near the beach, perhaps Extensive reconnaissance effort was di­ due to subsequent land clearing. A signifi­ rected toward recording the remaining cant amount ofwire fencing converges on sheep fencing (Figure 2). The fencing will this area from the plateau above as well. soon be completely lost to the elements and it was felt important to record it in some de­ Bruce Bryan, ofthe Los Angeles County tail at this juncture. It was also hoped that Museum, spent several weeks on the island fence lines would lead to other areas ofoc­ in 1926 conducting archaeological investiga­ cupation and that tracing out the fence lines tions (Bryan 1970). During this time, he would lead to a better understanding of stayed at Brook's Landing and made several sheep management practices. important observations. He stayed at the "shack of the single inhabitant ofthe isle, Wood used for fence posts varied from old Captain Nelson, whose unique position rough-cut lumber to split rails. Dimensions was a combination of caretaker ofthe island varied widely from 1x4, 2x4, and 4x4, to 4x6, and sheepherder to the 2,500 head ofhalf­ indicating that almost any type oflumber wild sheep that roam its expanse" (Bryan was being used. Where lower tips were vis­ 1930:152). Bryan (1932:58) also notes a ible due to downed posts, the posts had been "stable just back of the old man's cabin". sharpened to a rough point with an axe. For the most part, the mesh was attached with Luis Kemnitzer was on the island in wire brads. In the cases where nails were 1933 conducting geological investigations. used, the predominant type was wire nails, At that time he noted, "At the present time but some square nails were noted. The type the island is inhabited by one family of ofmesh used varied widely as well. In most sheep ranchers who graze some twelve hun­ areas, no mesh was present, but usually evi­ dred head on the rather meagre growth of dence ofdouble-strand twisted wire could be grass" (Kemnitzer 1933:3).